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Lighting fuel
Nationally, the most commonly used form of lighting fuel is tin lamps at 38.5 percent, followed by lanterns and electricity at 30.6 percent and 22.9 percent respectively (Table 6.21). However the national outlook masks significant differences in the use of other less dominant sources of lighting fuels in urban areas. Overall, tin lamps, lanterns and fuel wood are predominant in rural areas whereas electricity as a source of lighting is higher in urban areas. Some 52.4 percent of male headed households in urban areas use electricity for lighting compared with 48.8 percent for female headed households. The use of renewable sources of energy, notably solar for lighting is low at 1.6 percent of all households. However, in Tharaka Nithi, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Meru and Lamu Counties, at least five percent of households use solar energy as their main source of lighting.
Table 6.21: Main lighting fuel, national, rural and urban by gender of household head
County |
Electricity |
Pressure Lamp |
Lantern |
Tin Lamp |
Gas Lamp |
Fuel wood |
Solar |
Other |
Households |
Total |
|||||||||
Kenya |
22.9 |
0.6 |
30.6 |
38.5 |
0.9 |
4.3 |
1.6 |
0.6 |
8,493,380 |
Rural |
5.2 |
0.4 |
34.7 |
49.0 |
1.0 |
6.7 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
5,239,879 |
Urban |
51.4 |
0.8 |
23.9 |
21.6 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
3,253,501 |
Male headed households |
|||||||||
Kenya |
24.6 |
0.6 |
30.4 |
36.8 |
0.9 |
4.2 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
5,762,320 |
Rural |
5.6 |
0.5 |
35.3 |
47.5 |
1.1 |
6.8 |
2.4 |
0.7 |
3,413,616 |
Urban |
52.4 |
0.9 |
23.3 |
21.2 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
2,348,704 |
Female headed households |
|||||||||
Kenya |
19.2 |
0.5 |
31.0 |
42.1 |
0.8 |
4.5 |
1.4 |
0.5 |
2,731,060 |
Rural |
4.5 |
0.4 |
33.7 |
51.8 |
0.8 |
6.5 |
1.8 |
0.5 |
1,826,263 |
Urban |
48.8 |
0.8 |
25.4 |
22.6 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
904,797 |
Figure 6.4 shows the use of different sources of lighting across the county. Use of advanced fuels is highly concentrated within the centre, notably in Nairobi County. This can be attributed to a higher population density and existence of supporting infrastructure for transmission of electric power.
Figure 6.4: Household use of lighting fuel by type and county

The top eight counties surpass the national average of households that use electricity for lighting, with Nairobi having the highest proportion at 72.3 percent followed by Mombasa (59.0 percent) and Kiambu (54.4 percent). A household in Nairobi is 30 times more likely to have electricity for lighting compared with those Mandera, Tana River and Turkana, the bottom three counties in electricity use. Bomet (63.4 percent), Makueni (63.3 percent), and Nyandarua (55.2 percent) counties reported the highest use of lanterns, with the lowest in Turkana County at 8.6 percent. The use of tin lamps is highest in Kwale at 73.0 percent and Homa Bay and Siaya Counties at 72.9 percent each. In Turkana County, at least 73 percent of households use fuel wood for lighting.
There are gender differences in the use of various sources of lighting within counties (Table 6.23). In Kajiado, Kisumu and Machakos Counties, the proportion of male headed households using electricity for lighting exceeds that of female headed households by 12.1, 7.1 and 6.2 percentage points respectively. Conversely, in Garissa County, the proportion of female headed households using electricity for lighting is higher than that of male headed households. The highest proportion of the population using electricity for lighting is in Nairobi at 75.3 percent in female headed households, while the lowest use is in female headed households in Turkana at 1.6 percent, female headed households in Tana River at 2.1 percent and male headed households in Mandera at 2.1 percent (Table 6.22).
Table 6.22: Main lighting fuel by county
Electricity |
Lantern |
Tin Lamp |
Fuel wood |
||||
County |
% Households |
County |
% Households |
County |
% Households |
County |
% Households |
Bottom 10 counties |
|||||||
Nairobi |
72.3 |
Bomet |
63.6 |
Kwale |
73.2 |
Turkana |
76.1 |
Mombasa |
59.0 |
Makueni |
63.4 |
Siaya |
73.0 |
Samburu |
60.7 |
Kiambu |
54.4 |
Nyandarua |
55.5 |
Homa Bay |
73.0 |
Marsabit |
47.1 |
Kajiado |
40.0 |
Machakos |
54.3 |
Busia |
71.4 |
West Pokot |
46.8 |
Nakuru |
33.9 |
Kitui |
54.1 |
Tana River |
66.8 |
Mandera |
36.7 |
Uasin-Gishu |
27.9 |
Kericho |
51.1 |
Bungoma |
66.6 |
Wajir |
29.3 |
Nyeri |
26.2 |
Elgey-Marakwet |
47.2 |
Migori |
66.4 |
Baringo |
27.9 |
Isiolo |
18.7 |
Taita-Taveta |
45.9 |
Kakamega |
63.9 |
Isiolo |
23.3 |
Kisumu |
18.3 |
Uasin-Gishu |
44.2 |
Kilifi |
63.0 |
Elgey-Marakwet |
15.2 |
Laikipia |
18.1 |
Nandi |
42.2 |
Vihiga |
62.2 |
Garissa |
13.3 |
Median county |
|||||||
Trans-Nzoia |
9.0 |
Wajir |
31.0 |
Kericho |
35.1 |
Makueni |
0.6 |
Bottom 10 counties |
|||||||
Kitui |
4.8 |
Siaya |
20.6 |
Mombasa |
22.8 |
Nyandarua |
0.3 |
Bungoma |
4.4 |
Tana River |
19.9 |
Baringo |
20.1 |
Nyamira |
0.2 |
Siaya |
4.3 |
Garissa |
19.4 |
Isiolo |
19.6 |
Murang’a |
0.2 |
Bomet |
3.8 |
Kajiado |
18.9 |
Samburu |
19.4 |
Kisumu |
0.2 |
Wajir |
3.4 |
Kilifi |
16.7 |
Kiambu |
17.6 |
Siaya |
0.2 |
Homa Bay |
3.3 |
Mombasa |
16.0 |
Wajir |
17.2 |
Machakos |
0.2 |
West Pokot |
3.0 |
Nairobi |
13.1 |
Mandera |
13.1 |
Nandi |
0.2 |
Mandera |
2.5 |
Kwale |
13.0 |
Nairobi |
12.6 |
Mombasa |
0.2 |
Tana River |
2.4 |
Samburu |
10.6 |
Marsabit |
12.1 |
Kiambu |
0.2 |
Turkana |
2.2 |
Turkana |
8.1 |
Turkana |
9.2 |
Nairobi |
0.1 |
Table 6.23: Main lighting fuel by county and differences by gender of household head
Electricity |
Lantern |
Tin Lamp |
Fuel wood |
||||||||||||
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
County |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
Top 10 counties |
|||||||||||||||
Kajiado |
43.8 |
31.7 |
12.1 |
Migori |
27.4 |
22.8 |
4.6 |
Lamu |
39.9 |
36.7 |
3.2 |
Mandera |
38.3 |
29.7 |
8.5 |
Kisumu |
20.8 |
13.8 |
7.1 |
Narok |
30.5 |
26.0 |
4.4 |
Nairobi |
13.3 |
10.2 |
3.1 |
Wajir |
30.9 |
22.6 |
8.2 |
Machakos |
19.2 |
13.1 |
6.2 |
Siaya |
22.5 |
18.3 |
4.2 |
Mombasa |
23.3 |
21.0 |
2.4 |
Garissa |
14.5 |
9.2 |
5.3 |
Kiambu |
55.7 |
51.1 |
4.6 |
Homa Bay |
22.9 |
19.0 |
4.0 |
Garissa |
31.1 |
28.9 |
2.2 |
Lamu |
2.6 |
1.4 |
1.2 |
Samburu |
7.8 |
3.7 |
4.1 |
Baringo |
40.6 |
36.9 |
3.7 |
West Pokot |
25.6 |
23.5 |
2.1 |
Tana River |
6.4 |
5.3 |
1.2 |
Isiolo |
20.1 |
16.3 |
3.8 |
Nyamira |
41.5 |
37.9 |
3.7 |
Baringo |
20.8 |
18.9 |
1.9 |
Marsabit |
47.4 |
46.7 |
0.7 |
Nakuru |
35.1 |
31.4 |
3.7 |
Kisii |
32.9 |
29.5 |
3.4 |
Taita-Taveta |
35.2 |
34.0 |
1.2 |
Taita-Taveta |
0.7 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
Laikipia |
19.3 |
16.0 |
3.3 |
Kilifi |
17.8 |
14.4 |
3.3 |
Makueni |
25.7 |
25.0 |
0.8 |
Nyeri |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
Kwale |
11.6 |
8.4 |
3.2 |
Tharaka Nithi |
32.7 |
29.5 |
3.2 |
Kitui |
31.6 |
31.2 |
0.4 |
Kericho |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Kilifi |
17.5 |
14.4 |
3.1 |
Kirinyaga |
34.4 |
31.6 |
2.9 |
Turkana |
9.3 |
9.0 |
0.3 |
Nandi |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
Median county |
|
||||||||||||||
Makueni |
6.2 |
5.0 |
1.2 |
Vihiga |
28.7 |
27.9 |
0.8 |
Kirinyaga |
44.0 |
46.3 |
-2.3 |
Kisii |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Bottom 10 counties |
|||||||||||||||
Nandi |
6.2 |
6.4 |
-0.3 |
Marsabit |
23.0 |
24.9 |
-1.9 |
Narok |
52.1 |
57.5 |
-5.4 |
Isiolo |
23.1 |
23.5 |
-0.4 |
Elgey-Marakwet |
6.8 |
7.2 |
-0.4 |
Kiambu |
25.2 |
27.1 |
-1.9 |
Nyamira |
49.6 |
55.5 |
-5.9 |
Tharaka Nithi |
2.6 |
3.7 |
-1.0 |
Tharaka Nithi |
8.0 |
8.8 |
-0.8 |
Isiolo |
30.1 |
32.1 |
-2.0 |
Kwale |
71.2 |
77.4 |
-6.2 |
Kajiado |
1.8 |
3.0 |
-1.2 |
Meru |
13.4 |
14.3 |
-0.9 |
Nakuru |
35.4 |
37.7 |
-2.3 |
Homa Bay |
70.2 |
76.5 |
-6.3 |
Turkana |
75.6 |
77.0 |
-1.4 |
Kirinyaga |
15.8 |
17.8 |
-2.0 |
Kitui |
52.9 |
55.5 |
-2.7 |
Siaya |
70.0 |
76.6 |
-6.6 |
Elgey-Marakwet |
14.6 |
16.4 |
-1.8 |
Wajir |
2.9 |
5.3 |
-2.3 |
Makueni |
62.2 |
65.0 |
-2.7 |
Kilifi |
60.7 |
67.6 |
-6.9 |
Laikipia |
4.5 |
6.5 |
-1.9 |
Mandera |
2.1 |
4.5 |
-2.5 |
Wajir |
30.4 |
33.8 |
-3.4 |
Kisii |
55.6 |
62.6 |
-7.0 |
Narok |
7.0 |
9.0 |
-2.0 |
Mombasa |
58.3 |
61.8 |
-3.5 |
Taita-Taveta |
44.0 |
49.6 |
-5.6 |
Migori |
63.4 |
71.2 |
-7.8 |
Samburu |
58.6 |
63.1 |
-4.5 |
Nairobi |
71.3 |
75.3 |
-4.0 |
Machakos |
52.2 |
57.9 |
-5.7 |
Kisumu |
52.6 |
62.6 |
-10.0 |
West Pokot |
45.1 |
50.1 |
-5.1 |
Garissa |
13.4 |
22.0 |
-8.6 |
Lamu |
31.7 |
37.7 |
-6.0 |
Kajiado |
31.6 |
44.5 |
-12.8 |
Baringo |
25.5 |
32.4 |
-6.9 |
Differences in the use of various sources of lighting by constituency are highlighted in Table 6.24. Disaggregated county level data indicates huge disparities in the use of various lighting sources. The use of electricity for lighting is highest in Embakasi West constituency at 88.0 percent. In the bottom five constituencies, use of electricity is non-existent while only a few households have access in the bottom 10 constituencies. On the other hand, household use of fuel wood for lighting is almost universal in Loima constituency in Turkana County, and non-existent in Makadara, Kasarani, Mathare, Embakasi North and Embakasi West constituencies in Nairobi County.
There are minor differences in the proportion of household use of various sources of lighting across male and female headed households. However, there are significant variations when comparison is made within a constituency. For example, in Kajiado West and Kajiado Central, the proportion of male households using electricity for lighting is significantly higher than that of female headed households, while in Langata constituency the converse is observed (Table 6.25).
Table 6.24: Main lighting fuel by constituency
Electricity |
Lantern |
Tin Lamp |
Fuel wood |
||||
Top 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Embakasi West |
88.0 |
Bomet Central |
71.1 |
Lunga Lunga |
85.0 |
Loima |
93.2 |
Embakasi Central |
83.4 |
Lamu East |
70.9 |
Kinango |
84.7 |
Tiaty |
89.8 |
Mvita |
82.4 |
Bomet East |
69.4 |
Ndhiwa |
83.4 |
Turkana North |
88.3 |
Embakasi North |
80.9 |
Makueni |
69.3 |
Bumula |
80.8 |
Kacheliba |
82.3 |
Roysambu |
80.6 |
Kaiti |
68.7 |
Ganze |
80.2 |
Laisamis |
81.5 |
Dagoreti South |
79.3 |
Bureti |
68.6 |
Rangwe |
80.0 |
Samburu North |
80.2 |
Starehe |
78.8 |
Kilome |
68.0 |
Ugenya |
79.7 |
Turkana West |
76.3 |
Nakuru Town East |
77.1 |
Chepalungu |
67.4 |
Uriri |
78.6 |
Turkana East |
75.7 |
Ruiru |
75.4 |
Kathiani |
65.5 |
Seme |
78.4 |
Samburu East |
73.8 |
Kabete |
74.6 |
Kipipiri |
63.3 |
Budalangi |
78.1 |
Turkana South |
71.6 |
Median constituency |
|||||||
Kigumo |
7.7 |
Tarbaj |
29.3 |
Marakwet West |
37.3 |
Mbooni |
0.4 |
Bottom 10 constituencies |
|||||||
Banissa |
0.1 |
Mathare |
8.0 |
Mandera West |
6.1 |
Ruiru |
0.1 |
North Horr |
0.1 |
Embakasi West |
7.3 |
Roysambu |
5.6 |
Starehe |
0.1 |
Laisamis |
0.1 |
Turkana West |
7.2 |
Tarbaj |
5.6 |
Ruaraka |
0.1 |
Kacheliba |
0.1 |
Mvita |
6.5 |
Embakasi Central |
4.6 |
Langata |
0.1 |
Tarbaj |
0.1 |
Kacheliba |
6.3 |
North Horr |
4.5 |
Westlands |
0.1 |
Mandera West |
0.1 |
Samburu North |
6.1 |
Turkana North |
3.7 |
Makadara |
0.0 |
Lagdera |
0.1 |
Dadaab |
5.2 |
Embakasi West |
3.0 |
Kasarani |
0.0 |
Eldas |
0.0 |
Tiaty |
5.1 |
Tiaty |
3.0 |
Mathare |
0.0 |
Loima |
0.0 |
Turkana North |
2.7 |
Laisamis |
2.8 |
Embakasi North |
0.0 |
Wajir North |
0.0 |
Loima |
1.8 |
Loima |
1.8 |
Embakasi West |
0.0 |
Table 6.25: Main lighting fuel by constituency and differences by gender of household head
Electricity |
Lantern |
Tin Lamp |
Fuel wood |
||||||||||||
Constituency |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
Constituency |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
Constituency |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
Constituency |
Male |
Female |
Diff |
Top 10 constituencies |
|||||||||||||||
Kajiado West |
26.5 |
12.6 |
13.9 |
Narok South |
39.9 |
29.7 |
10.2 |
Dagoreti North |
19.1 |
11.5 |
7.6 |
Isiolo South |
34.4 |
16.0 |
18.4 |
Kajiado Central |
27.4 |
14.6 |
12.8 |
Narok West |
34.0 |
25.5 |
8.5 |
Langata |
16.3 |
9.4 |
6.8 |
Mandera North |
42.0 |
32.5 |
9.5 |
Samburu West |
19.0 |
9.1 |
9.9 |
Nyatike |
31.4 |
24.9 |
6.5 |
Kibra |
27.8 |
21.5 |
6.4 |
North Horr |
71.7 |
62.6 |
9.1 |
Isiolo North |
29.0 |
21.1 |
7.8 |
Kuria East |
33.2 |
26.7 |
6.5 |
Makadara |
14.3 |
9.0 |
5.2 |
Wajir North |
45.3 |
37.4 |
7.9 |
Limuru |
51.4 |
45.3 |
6.1 |
Samburu East |
13.4 |
7.7 |
5.7 |
Lagdera |
20.1 |
15.1 |
5.0 |
Lafey |
32.9 |
25.4 |
7.5 |
Awendo |
12.8 |
6.9 |
6.0 |
Laikipia North |
27.4 |
21.8 |
5.7 |
Embakasi South |
21.3 |
16.3 |
5.0 |
Wajir South |
23.1 |
15.8 |
7.2 |
Kajiado East |
44.1 |
38.2 |
5.9 |
Sigowet/Soin |
42.7 |
37.2 |
5.5 |
Lamu East |
13.5 |
8.6 |
4.9 |
Moyale |
22.8 |
15.7 |
7.0 |
Wundanyi |
19.6 |
13.8 |
5.8 |
West Mugirango |
40.9 |
35.5 |
5.4 |
Nakuru Town West |
16.0 |
11.5 |
4.5 |
Wajir East |
14.2 |
8.5 |
5.6 |
Saku |
21.2 |
15.4 |
5.8 |
Kuria West |
34.3 |
29.0 |
5.3 |
Mavoko |
19.4 |
14.9 |
4.5 |
Lagdera |
25.1 |
19.7 |
5.5 |
Kitui Central |
16.9 |
11.1 |
5.8 |
Kigumo |
46.6 |
41.4 |
5.1 |
Kacheliba |
11.4 |
7.1 |
4.2 |
Wajir West |
23.9 |
18.8 |
5.1 |
Median constituency |
|||||||||||||||
Kuresoi North |
2.9 |
2.2 |
0.7 |
Tigania West |
16.2 |
15.2 |
1.0 |
Tigania East |
70.7 |
72.6 |
-2.0 |
Cherangany |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
Bottom 10 constituencies |
|||||||||||||||
Embakasi South |
57.6 |
63.4 |
-5.8 |
Wajir South |
25.8 |
30.7 |
-4.9 |
Kitutu Chache South |
44.7 |
52.9 |
-8.2 |
Laikipia North |
18.5 |
23.0 |
-4.4 |
Starehe |
77.2 |
83.2 |
-6.0 |
Lamu East |
69.5 |
74.7 |
-5.2 |
Kisumu East |
48.9 |
57.1 |
-8.2 |
Sigor |
65.1 |
69.6 |
-4.5 |
Nyali |
59.4 |
65.5 |
-6.0 |
Tarbaj |
28.5 |
33.7 |
-5.2 |
Kaloleni |
67.8 |
76.0 |
-8.2 |
Baringo North |
23.2 |
27.8 |
-4.5 |
Garissa Township |
51.0 |
57.0 |
-6.1 |
Lamu West |
24.3 |
29.6 |
-5.3 |
Kasipul |
59.7 |
68.0 |
-8.3 |
Baringo South |
16.3 |
20.9 |
-4.6 |
Kamukunji |
70.1 |
76.4 |
-6.3 |
Wundanyi |
44.9 |
50.5 |
-5.6 |
Homa Bay Town |
59.6 |
68.3 |
-8.6 |
Turkana West |
74.5 |
79.4 |
-4.8 |
Mvita |
80.8 |
87.1 |
-6.3 |
Voi |
51.6 |
57.5 |
-5.9 |
Kuria West |
55.8 |
64.5 |
-8.7 |
Samburu West |
30.3 |
35.6 |
-5.3 |
Kibra |
58.3 |
65.4 |
-7.1 |
Mandera West |
51.4 |
57.4 |
-6.0 |
Awendo |
65.2 |
74.8 |
-9.6 |
Narok South |
14.2 |
19.5 |
-5.3 |
Makadara |
67.2 |
74.7 |
-7.5 |
Moyale |
38.4 |
44.4 |
-6.1 |
Narok West |
45.5 |
58.2 |
-12.7 |
Kacheliba |
79.5 |
86.9 |
-7.5 |
Dagoreti North |
65.4 |
75.2 |
-9.8 |
Lagdera |
32.0 |
41.4 |
-9.4 |
Kajiado Central |
50.3 |
64.7 |
-14.4 |
Isiolo North |
18.0 |
25.8 |
-7.8 |
Langata |
67.6 |
79.7 |
-12.1 |
Isiolo South |
42.2 |
54.9 |
-12.7 |
Kajiado West |
46.4 |
61.9 |
-15.5 |
Samburu East |
68.5 |
78.8 |
-10.4 |
Access to clean fuels is a challenge for many households, particularly in the rural areas, reflecting high inequalities in use of clean energy. Other issues including cost of energy and environmental concerns are increasingly becoming important aspects that influence household welfare. For example, some households must spend more for paraffin due to their distance from Mombasa port, which leads to inequality in access.